Home Improvement Today?

Was the pecan tree alive when you removed it?? If so it probably was absorbing moisture from the ground, now that it is gone, there is nothing to remove that moisture??? IF it was dead, I have no idea.

 

Today's fun:

 

It was alive but soft and rotting in the inside. About 6 ft up it started branching off and you could feel down inside of it and it was soft and rotted.

 

The center of a tree is all 'dead' wood and doesn't involve movement of 'food' from the leaves or water/minerals from the roots. So, as long as the tree was alive, it was likely absorbing water out of the soil. Now, there is nothing in that area to remove that water.

 

So you think it is possible it’s just that root seeping water? The tree was alive.

 

NO.....you misunderstood or I didn't make myself clear. The living tree was taking water out of the soil in order to stay alive. Now that it is no longer there any water remains in the soil instead of being used by the tree. My yard sits wet - puddles and ponds after heavy rains - so I planted 3 baldcypress trees to take up the excess water. This species typically grows and thrives in wet, poorly drained soils.

Hope this is more clearly explained.

ALL living plants (well, maybe not all) take water out of the soil in order to survive/thrive - some species do so more than others. Grass, weeds, flowers, shrubs, and trees all do this. If you remove them - example clear a lot of all green vegetation - it will stay wet as nothing removes that subsurface and surface water, except evaporation.

 

I have seen 2' - 3' diameter beech trees where there is only 1" - 2" thick wood remaining around the outer perimeter as the entire center of the tree has rotted out into nothing - think of an empty drum. The tree has a full canopy of leaves and is otherwise growing normally. A hazard tree to be sure, but growing like solid ones near it.

 

If you were wearing a space suit, I'd swear you were working on the space station with all that polished brass.

-J

 

Small project today. We wanted cat food bowls off the floor so roomba wouldn’t mess with them and I didn’t want them somewhere that the could be knocked down.



Is there a trick to using a 4” hole saw? I almost broke my wrist with the damn thing.

 

Quit being a nanny. Seriously though, the bigger the hole, the slower the speed. 4” hole saw, you bet I’m going real slow to let the saw teeth do the work.

 

don't let it bind

 

Finished product:

 

Like others have said, go slower. I also put a bit of beeswax or paste wax whatever I have on hand at the time on the teeth and sides of the bit which helps to reduce friction.

-J

 

Clamp the work securely.
If you can't use a drill press make sure you are using a drill with a side handle and position yourself so you have a good grip on it.

Putting the part on the floor and bracing the side handle against your shin is helpful too.

Larger size hole saws demand a good approach and your full attention when using in a hand drill.

Nice tidy project BTW.

 

Ok good news, I have confirmed it’s the root! I have never seen this before so kinda neat really. Look how wet and seepy the root is.

 

Any particular brand or model recommendations for an over the range microwave? My old GE profile has been on its way out and Memorial Day sales are in full swing.

 

i'll sometimes pre-drill the arbor hole, and then run the hole saw in reverse for a little while at the start to get the hole profile started by at least 1/4" so the hole saw has a some edge support on the side of the cut to keep it straight.

 

Most of the major brands depending on the features you want are good

 

does yours have a dial instead of numberpad? My dial version GE profile is stating to go. Dial won’t “click” to make the selection about 1/8 the time and increasing quickly.